Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to packages containing prizes and promotional items, and more particularly relates to promotional systems including prize packages containing match teaching tools and edible confectionery items such as gum, gum balls, candies and mints.
Description of the Related Art
There have been many efforts directed to providing food or candy product containers that incorporate prizes or promotions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,321 to Borchardt teaches a unique marketing approach wherein actual cash awards are secretly retained in food product containers for wet or moist products such as soda, water, beer, milk, yogurt and the like. A nationwide promotion was conducted employing the teachings of this patent, which produced overwhelming consumer excitement and commercial success.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,433 to Howes discloses food product containers that secretly retain a prize award, while being indistinguishable from non-prize bearing products. As such, the prize-bearing product may be randomly distributed with conventional, non-prize bearing products, without having the existence of a prize-bearing product being discovered before opening by the consumer. By creating a prize retaining zone which is secretly and undiscoverably embedded in conventional food delivery products such as cups, straws, holders, and containers, prize awards, such as cash, are secretly hidden and randomly distributed to lucky customers who instantly win the prize award.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,230,474 to Giacomen discloses a method of manufacturing food packaging having a removable prize therein. Prizes are deposited at a predetermined spacing along a first sheet of plastic wrapping. The first sheet of plastic wrapping, with the prizes adhered thereto, is covered by a second sheet of plastic wrapping. A second surface of the first sheet, opposite the first surface, is folded over, or is covered by a third sheet of plastic wrapping, after food is placed on the second sheet.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0080015 to Kopecky discloses an improved product holding and dispensing package. In one embodiment, a package for a gum product includes information concerning giveaways, sweepstakes, contests, etc. The gum package includes a body defining opposing end walls. A tab attaches to the body, whereby a consumer can grasp the tab to remove one of the end walls. The removable end wall allows the consumer to remove a gum product from the body and also to view the giveaway information.
Thus, it has been known to provide packaging that provides a promotion material, prize, or giveaway. For many years, cereal boxes have contained small prizes. The prize induces some people to purchase and/or more quickly consume the product. Other consumable products come with coupons for the associated product. Coupons also induce the customer to buy the product and to repurchase the product at a later time using the coupon. Consumable products can also come with cash rebates, which induce purchasing. The prizes, coupons and rebates typically include a separate package or leaflet that inserts into a box with the product or between the box and an outer layer of packaging.
Soft drink packaging has also made use of the bottle cap to provide information about prizes and giveaways. Bottled soft drinks are sold through a variety of marketing channels including supermarket stores, convenience stores and vending machines. Not all of these channels use the same packaging. For instance, convenience stores and especially supermarkets package bottled soft drinks in twelve packs and cases, while vending machines dispense only single units of bottled soft drinks. To run a contest or sweepstakes including all bottled soft drinks, the bottles must themselves include the contest or sweepstakes information. Thus, placing the information inside the 12-pack or case container would exclude vending machine sales.
While bottled soft drinks have made use of the bottle cap for providing giveaway or sweepstakes information, confectionery packaging typically has not provided a viable technique for providing giveaway or sweepstakes information. One of the problems with providing a confectionery package, e.g., a chewing gum product having a foil wrapper, is that the foil is used to store the sticks of chewing gum until the entire product is consumed. Thus, if the giveaway information is contained on the inner body of the wrapper, the eager consumer is encouraged to destroy the housing to see the prize information and at the same time destroy the housing for the confectionery products, e.g., the sticks of chewing gum.
In spite of the above advances, there remains a need for improved packages for edible confectionery items such as gum balls, candies and mints, which enable individuals to improve their math skills and which provide each individual with a chance to win a prize.